ICARE Newsletter Spring 2022 

 Inherited Cancer Treatment Updates

Lynch Syndrome Carriers with Advanced Uterine Cancer: Treatment with Pembrolizumab
Women with Lynch Syndrome are at high risk for uterine cancer. The type of uterine cancer they develop has the tumor
characteristic of being ‘MSI-H’. A new study indicated treatment with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) resulted in benefit in
patients with MSI-H advanced uterine cancer.

Von Hippel-Lindau Patients: Treatment of Tumors with Belzutifan
On August 13th, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved belzutifan (Welireg), for adult patients with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease who need to be treated for renal cell cancer, central nervous system hemangioblastomas, or pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors not requiring immediate surgery. A recent study reported that belzutifan was a useful treatment in patients with renal cell carcinoma who have VHL disease.

BRCA1/2 Carriers with Early-Stage Breast Cancer: Treatment with Olaparib
On November 30th, 2021, the FDA granted priority review to olaparib for adjuvant treatment of certain patients with highrisk breast cancer. This applies to the use of the agent by patients with BRCA-mutated, HER2-negative, high-risk early breast cancer who received chemotherapy before or after surgery.


BRCA1/2 Carriers with Ovarian Cancer: Maintenance with Olaparib
A new study suggests that olaparib (PARP-inhibitor) for maintenance therapy for 2 years in BRCA carriers with newly
diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer extended survival as follows – median progression-free survival in the olaparib group
was 56.0 months compared to the placebo group where it was 13.8 months.

O’Malley et al. J Clin Oncol. 2022 Jan. PMID: 34990208. Social media post March 1st, 2022. Available at: https://tinyurl.com/post30122;
Jonasch, et al. N Engl J Med. 2021 Nov. PMID:34818478. Social media post January 21st, 2022. Available at https://tinyurl.com/post12122;
Social media post December 6th, 2021. Available at: https://tinyurl.com/post120621;
Banerjee et al. Lancet Oncol. 2021 Dec. PMID: 34715071. Social media post January 4th, 2022. Available at: https://tinyurl.com/post10422.

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